Tuesday of Holy Week
(John 12:21-33; 36-38)
The gospel today invites us to compare and contrast Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial of Jesus. We may have heard preachers say that the two offenses amount to the same sin of infidelity. That opinion, however, is wrong-headed. It would be like equating setting on fire a home and not calling the fire department when we see the blazes. Others may condemn Judas’ treachery of handing Christ over to his enemies but dismiss Peter’s failure to stand up for Christ out of fear. This way of thinking is also misguided. Both deeds are despicable although Judas’ is more serious than Peter’s.
In explaining Judas’ treason, the passage says, “Satan entered him.” This does not mean that Judas betrays Jesus because he is possessed by the devil. No, there is full responsibility here. A bit later, when Judas leaves the supper, the passage ominously adds, “...it was night.” This reference is not to give the time of day but to indicate that Judas chooses darkness to the light of Christ. Earlier in the gospel Jesus tells Nicodemus that some people choose darkness to light (3:19). Here Judas deliberately makes the same choice. We should realize that we too are susceptible to it.
Sometimes we look for ways to excuse ourselves of sin. A young man may say that peer pressure forced him to drink too much. A young woman may attribute her abortion to fear of her parents’ chastisements if she came home pregnant. These kinds of circumstances certainly have a bearing on one’s action, but they seldom are so extreme that they excuse wrong-doing. We must develop virtue by always striving to do what is right amidst the varied circumstances of life. Conversely, we must not act like Peter who fails to support Jesus although he knows better.
homilette for March 17, 2008
Monday of Holy Week
(Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11)
Pope John Paul II has been called the person most seen in all of history. Although, of course, there are no official statistics, the statement can hardly be doubted. In many of his one hundred and four apostolic journeys outside Italy, he appeared before millions of people. It is hard to imagine anyone – even emperors or athletes -- having larger audiences.
The costs of the pope’s travels often provoked criticism. He did not stay at Ritz-Carlton hotels, but necessary security measures entailed the spending of millions of dollars to accommodate a papal visit. When he visited poor countries like Kenya or Timor, people wondered -- as Judas does in the gospel today -- whether the money should not have been spent in direct relief of the poor.
Surely, however, such criticisms are myopic. The pope did much more for the poor on his travels than possibly could have been accomplished if all the expenses were summed together and the money paid to Catholic Relief Services. Everywhere John Paul II went, he preached care for the poor. His gracious presence to many indigent people lifted their minds and hearts beyond the squalor of their daily lives. The first reading speaks of the Suffering Servant “establish(ing) justice on the earth.” In imitation of Jesus, John Paul’s apostolic journeys fulfilled this prophecy by calling rich and poor to solidarity in Christ.
(Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11)
Pope John Paul II has been called the person most seen in all of history. Although, of course, there are no official statistics, the statement can hardly be doubted. In many of his one hundred and four apostolic journeys outside Italy, he appeared before millions of people. It is hard to imagine anyone – even emperors or athletes -- having larger audiences.
The costs of the pope’s travels often provoked criticism. He did not stay at Ritz-Carlton hotels, but necessary security measures entailed the spending of millions of dollars to accommodate a papal visit. When he visited poor countries like Kenya or Timor, people wondered -- as Judas does in the gospel today -- whether the money should not have been spent in direct relief of the poor.
Surely, however, such criticisms are myopic. The pope did much more for the poor on his travels than possibly could have been accomplished if all the expenses were summed together and the money paid to Catholic Relief Services. Everywhere John Paul II went, he preached care for the poor. His gracious presence to many indigent people lifted their minds and hearts beyond the squalor of their daily lives. The first reading speaks of the Suffering Servant “establish(ing) justice on the earth.” In imitation of Jesus, John Paul’s apostolic journeys fulfilled this prophecy by calling rich and poor to solidarity in Christ.
Homilette for March 14, 2008
Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
(John 10:31-42)
Reading the Passion according to Matthew on Palm Sunday and the Passion according to John on Good Friday, we will notice several differences between the two narratives. Most striking will be the way Jesus dies. In John he calmly bows his head and says, “It is finished.” In Matthew, after crying out almost desperately, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Jesus shrieks again and gives up his spirit.
A subtler difference between the two is the way the so-called Jewish trial of Jesus in John’s gospel is truncated. The narrative pictures only Annas, a former high priest, and some temple guards with Jesus. No one presents testimony regarding Jesus although Annas is said to question him. Matthew’s account, by contrast, pictures a crowded room of Jewish leaders along with the sitting high priest Caiaphas judging Jesus. Two evidently false witnesses accuse Jesus of threatening to destroy the Temple, and Caiaphas directly asks Jesus if he is the son of God. How might we explain these discrepancies?
Since we have no transcripts of the proceedings, we cannot say what exactly took place at the proceeding. However, we can note a few things that will aid our appreciation of the gospel traditions. On reason John’s account does not speak of normal trial procedures if that throughout the gospel Jews come forward with similar accusations and questions that we find in Matthew’s proceeding before the Jewish council. In today’s gospel passage, for example, the Jews accuse Jesus of making himself to be God. Also to be noted today is Jesus’ testimony that the Father has consecrated him as if he were a temple. This statement relates to his famous prediction that when the Jews destroy “this temple,” meaning his body, in three days he would raise it up (cf. John 2:19) – the crux of the charge that Jesus threatens to destroy the temple in Matthew’s Jewish trial. Thus, we see that both gospels attest to the same basic accusations against Jesus although at different times and in different ways.
The breadth of meaning offered by Jesus’ passion and death exceeds our ability to understand the events. Yet we may appreciate them more by attentively listening to the gospel readings on Palm Sunday and Good Friday. We will notice certain similarities and subtle differences. The similarities assure us that our belief in the events’ power to save has solid foundation. The differences indicate the manifold ways that salvation touches us.
(John 10:31-42)
Reading the Passion according to Matthew on Palm Sunday and the Passion according to John on Good Friday, we will notice several differences between the two narratives. Most striking will be the way Jesus dies. In John he calmly bows his head and says, “It is finished.” In Matthew, after crying out almost desperately, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Jesus shrieks again and gives up his spirit.
A subtler difference between the two is the way the so-called Jewish trial of Jesus in John’s gospel is truncated. The narrative pictures only Annas, a former high priest, and some temple guards with Jesus. No one presents testimony regarding Jesus although Annas is said to question him. Matthew’s account, by contrast, pictures a crowded room of Jewish leaders along with the sitting high priest Caiaphas judging Jesus. Two evidently false witnesses accuse Jesus of threatening to destroy the Temple, and Caiaphas directly asks Jesus if he is the son of God. How might we explain these discrepancies?
Since we have no transcripts of the proceedings, we cannot say what exactly took place at the proceeding. However, we can note a few things that will aid our appreciation of the gospel traditions. On reason John’s account does not speak of normal trial procedures if that throughout the gospel Jews come forward with similar accusations and questions that we find in Matthew’s proceeding before the Jewish council. In today’s gospel passage, for example, the Jews accuse Jesus of making himself to be God. Also to be noted today is Jesus’ testimony that the Father has consecrated him as if he were a temple. This statement relates to his famous prediction that when the Jews destroy “this temple,” meaning his body, in three days he would raise it up (cf. John 2:19) – the crux of the charge that Jesus threatens to destroy the temple in Matthew’s Jewish trial. Thus, we see that both gospels attest to the same basic accusations against Jesus although at different times and in different ways.
The breadth of meaning offered by Jesus’ passion and death exceeds our ability to understand the events. Yet we may appreciate them more by attentively listening to the gospel readings on Palm Sunday and Good Friday. We will notice certain similarities and subtle differences. The similarities assure us that our belief in the events’ power to save has solid foundation. The differences indicate the manifold ways that salvation touches us.
Homilette for March 13, 2008
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
(John 8:51-59)
Albert Einstein once said, “Time exists so that everything does not happen at once.” That’s important. We get upset when two things happen at once – we’re preparing dinner and the doorbell rings. How could we ever cope with everything happening at the same time? But is it possible that someone exists outside of time? That one would have created time and everything else. Philosophers call this being who exists outside of time “God.” In the gospel today Jesus equates himself with that One, Being, or God. This is what he means by saying, “I Am.”
Of course, all this is difficult to comprehend. The Jews may be resisting belief in Jesus but not without cause. They ask, how can a man whose date of birth is known and who will one day die be God? That’s another good question. We have an answer, however. The Son of God existed from all eternity but joined himself to a human body and soul. He did this to redirect humanity from sin, which displeases God, to virtue which God favors. God’s becoming human demonstrates His great care for us.
Abraham is father of three great world religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All three see the Bible as God’s revelation although Jews do not accept the New Testament and Moslems look to the Koran as the ultimate word of God. Christianity seems the most daring of the three and the most hopeful. It is “daring” because of our belief that God has made Himself accessible in Jesus Christ. It is “hopeful” because Jesus has left the sacraments which assist us in two ways. First, they strengthen us for those times when everything seems to happen at once. Second, they prepare us for life with God outside of time.
(John 8:51-59)
Albert Einstein once said, “Time exists so that everything does not happen at once.” That’s important. We get upset when two things happen at once – we’re preparing dinner and the doorbell rings. How could we ever cope with everything happening at the same time? But is it possible that someone exists outside of time? That one would have created time and everything else. Philosophers call this being who exists outside of time “God.” In the gospel today Jesus equates himself with that One, Being, or God. This is what he means by saying, “I Am.”
Of course, all this is difficult to comprehend. The Jews may be resisting belief in Jesus but not without cause. They ask, how can a man whose date of birth is known and who will one day die be God? That’s another good question. We have an answer, however. The Son of God existed from all eternity but joined himself to a human body and soul. He did this to redirect humanity from sin, which displeases God, to virtue which God favors. God’s becoming human demonstrates His great care for us.
Abraham is father of three great world religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All three see the Bible as God’s revelation although Jews do not accept the New Testament and Moslems look to the Koran as the ultimate word of God. Christianity seems the most daring of the three and the most hopeful. It is “daring” because of our belief that God has made Himself accessible in Jesus Christ. It is “hopeful” because Jesus has left the sacraments which assist us in two ways. First, they strengthen us for those times when everything seems to happen at once. Second, they prepare us for life with God outside of time.
Homilette for March 12, 2008
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
(John 8:31-42)
Perhaps you have heard the term “cultural Catholics.” It refers to those who identify themselves as Catholics but only minimally practice the faith. They see their occasional Mass attendance more as a family tradition than an expression of religious commitment. Also, they dissent from many of the Church’s teachings like the crime of abortion and the infallibility of the Pope. Today’s gospel pictures Jesus addressing himself to these Catholics as the “Jews who believed in him.”
Cultural Catholics in the United States and Europe adhere to a strictly political notion of freedom. A product of the Enlightenment, political freedom means the absence of external constraint on an individual’s actions. Since this kind of constraint typically comes from government, an example would be the right to practice one’s religion without official censure. The Jews in the gospel express their adherence to this notion of freedom when they say that they have “never been enslaved to anyone.” However, like cultural Catholics today, they overlook a critical dimension of freedom when they refute Jesus for speaking of enslavement to sin.
Sin -- an internal restraint -- often undermines freedom more than religious or political oppression. Many find themselves entrapped in pride, lust, anger, or another of the so-called capital sins. They cannot put their lives in order often because they do not even recognize that sin has a grip on them. Jesus, of course, offers to save all from sin by sending his Holy Spirit. The Spirit enlightens us to recognize sin’s entrapments and empowers us to resist them. But we have to call on Jesus with true faith to receive the Spirit.
(John 8:31-42)
Perhaps you have heard the term “cultural Catholics.” It refers to those who identify themselves as Catholics but only minimally practice the faith. They see their occasional Mass attendance more as a family tradition than an expression of religious commitment. Also, they dissent from many of the Church’s teachings like the crime of abortion and the infallibility of the Pope. Today’s gospel pictures Jesus addressing himself to these Catholics as the “Jews who believed in him.”
Cultural Catholics in the United States and Europe adhere to a strictly political notion of freedom. A product of the Enlightenment, political freedom means the absence of external constraint on an individual’s actions. Since this kind of constraint typically comes from government, an example would be the right to practice one’s religion without official censure. The Jews in the gospel express their adherence to this notion of freedom when they say that they have “never been enslaved to anyone.” However, like cultural Catholics today, they overlook a critical dimension of freedom when they refute Jesus for speaking of enslavement to sin.
Sin -- an internal restraint -- often undermines freedom more than religious or political oppression. Many find themselves entrapped in pride, lust, anger, or another of the so-called capital sins. They cannot put their lives in order often because they do not even recognize that sin has a grip on them. Jesus, of course, offers to save all from sin by sending his Holy Spirit. The Spirit enlightens us to recognize sin’s entrapments and empowers us to resist them. But we have to call on Jesus with true faith to receive the Spirit.
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